Most challenging for me:
I guess that would've been in the beginning when I had to change my entire lifestyle of the way I was eating and thinking about food. I was a fast food junkie...eating fast food 3-4 times a day and use to nibble all day long with candy, ice cream and cookies and anything else loaded with fat and sugar. Now I eat 3 times a day with protein drinks for a in between boost. At first it was the most challenging for me...now it's easy.

The most rewarding to me:
All my success and how I feel. The most rewarding is my health because I feel like I will be around for a while longer to see my kids grow up and maybe someday grandchildren. I no longer wear a knee braces for pain. My feet no longer hurt from all the weight. I can put my shoes on without feeling like I'm going to pass out. My chest pains have gone away. I can cross my legs. The people that approach me and tell me how awesome I look. I feel like I have total control of myself. I now have a boyfriend. The rewards go on and on and on and on.

As far as support...hmmm
My kids, parents and boyfriend are my biggest support, they like the healthy me. My center supports me and has taught me how to stick to my plan and tips to succeed. I also wear my MRC braclets all day as a constant reminder. You should get one when you lose 10lbs, 20lbs, 50lbs, 100lbs etc. So if they don't give you one..ask if they have them. I know they are just some ugly rubberband... but to me they are a visual reminder of why I don't go through the drive thru or grab a candy bar at the gas station or nibble while I'm cooking. I just look at them and think "I'm not going to quit!!" My center also cuts a piece of ribbon the same length of inches that you've lost. I have that curly ribbon on my desk at work...I look at it as a support tool also. I've lost 61.5 inches total. I have a string of paperclips tacked on my office wall too...one paperclip for each pound lost. It goes from one side to the other. All these things may sound silly...but they help me make better decisions and I consider that support. :-)

Edit: Oh my..and this forum is a huge support!!! I've only been here a couple months and feel like I've made friends that totally understand my pains and gains!

__________________

Started with MRC June 1, 2012
Total inches lost 102.25"

Last edited by Keylani; 01-04-2013 at 12:09 PM.
Reason: had to add something

Oh what a tough topic. Because I agree with keylani, that some of the most challenging aspects are also the most rewarding!

So... no snacks was a huge challenge at first because snacking is such an ingrained habit. For the first probably at least two months I constantly found myself wandering back to the fridge or the pantry and then having to go away empty handed because I knew I wanted to stay on plan. That made me feel deprived, though with careful consideration I knew I wasn't actually hungry and therefore I wasn't actually deprived. I had to do, and still have to do, a lot of thinking about why I want to eat, and do the hard work of dealing with emotions and/or habits instead of just indulging in food.

Not indulging the food addict in me is slowly enabling me to be a better person - I'm not obsessing over excuses to get out of the house and run errands for the real purpose of hitting a drive-thru or two, and/or to re-stock my favorite goodies for in the pantry.

Another huge challenge is that I'm a stay-at-home mom and therefore do all the meals for my husband (and his brother, who lives with us) and my three young children. So I have a kitchen packed with food, much of it very easy to grab for little hands and quick metabolisms that need snacks every two to three hours. Preparing snacks and meals for my family can be challenging from the very minor aspect of not being able to lick my fingers during prep or clean-up (I'm forever having to wash my hands now), to the major problem of having to prepare separate meals for myself. I rarely manage to get my meal made at the same time as theirs so that I can at least sit with them and we can all eat together, and that's frustrating. I will still sit with them but then have to do clean up and still make my meal and so then meeting the time schedule can be a real challenge (the part about not letting more than five hours pass between meals).

However, what I liked about MRC was the whole foods aspect -everything fresh or frozen and home made, no pre-packaged meals. That's what makes this a lifestyle change for me. If I were buying shakes or frozen meals, eventually I would want to stop because those would be things I was buying in order to "diet". Cooking my own meals is something I will always have to do, even if sometimes I will want to choose something more convenient. And when people ask what I've been doing to get so healthy, I like being able to say I prepare all my meals myself, eat lots of lean protein and fresh vegetables, etc. It's a rewarding feeling to know that I've accomplished this myself, by putting in the time to shop for and prepare healthy things.

No added salt and/or condiments was a challenge at first. Give yourself time to de-tox from the high fat/salt/sugar that is in our diets before MRC. You will learn to appreciate the taste of real food without all the additives. The first time I grilled chicken with Mrs. Dash seasonings I had to laugh. I thought it was amazing that I could rub in that thick of a coating of so many different spices and end up with no flavor! But now I can taste them and enjoy them and it has been rewarding indeed to sit down to each meal and truly be thankful for the good, healthy food that I can eat.

I love my big half-pound salads that I eat daily, but keeping the fresh veggies in stock is a real challenge. Chicken I can throw a big batch in the oven and re-heat four ounce portions all week long (I've found that tilapia doesn't last as long though, and do smaller batches twice a week instead). Vegetables I am forever having to buy more of and peel and chop. I usually have spinach and kale and it spoils quickly. Chopping up cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, etc. has to be done every couple of days, because they spoil quickly too. But the reward is sitting down to a healthy meal that doesn't make me feel bloated or sick afterwards, and doesn't leave me craving more just an hour or so later.

My new body is also challenging and rewarding! Since I carried extra weight from adolescence, I'm discovering a figure that I never knew I had. I think I may be a bit bow-legged! My breasts are a saggy sight indeed, and I still have pretty flabby buns and thighs in spite of getting down to 24% body fat. I wish I'd figured out how to be thin when I was much younger and then I wouldn't have these reminders of how out of shape I was. That's a challenge. However, I feel very confident in my new size 8 skinny jeans (well, my flat booty could use some help!) and everything I try on fits and looks great. I feel confident that with hard work at the gym I'll be able to work on my buns and thighs and regardless, I'd rather look all saggy when I'm naked but great fully dressed, than fat naked and fat fully dressed.

Well I've written a small book here, so best get on with my day! Hope all that helped you some.

No. I don't really have any. The center took a before picture, but I haven't seen it. I'm assuming they'll do an after since I'm one of their success stories (reached my goal). I'm stabilizing really soon, so maybe they do that then? If they post it on facebook or something, I'll share the link here.

Hey...
For me, the most challenging was rearranging my habits to be healthier. I was a fast-food junkie and I LOVED chocolate. I would veg in front of the TV when I got home from work and would fix "kid-friendly" meals, i.e. pizza, mac and cheese, etc...

When I started program, the challenging part was planning my meals... my breakfast, lunch, and dinner... making sure I got in the vegetables, steered clear of the sugar and salt, and drinking water. I loved my diet dr. pepper, but switching to water was difficult at first (headaches and such) but now I've been soda-free for over a year and I don't miss it at all.

The rewards are so many. The number one reward is feeling better. I'm no longer sluggish... I play with my kids, my husband loves my new body, and I'm active. I crave exercise and recently became a certified Zumba instructor, teaching a few classes of my own and substituting for another instructor.

My energy level is so much better... I honestly feel like I'm a better wife and mother and friend. I feel younger. I also love helping others and answering their questions and listening to their struggles with weight loss.

My children are healthier - they love fruits and veggies (for the most part) and like my grilled chicken, chili, and turkey burger meals...

Also, I love shopping. I love going in a store and being able to find things in my size that make me feel pretty. And, I LOVE wearing high heels again, oh yeah! heehee...

I know I'll never be a size 2, but you know what? I'm okay with that and I've found that acceptance with being content with myself...

Guess what? When I went to my weigh-in today, the gals at the office asked if I would be their All Star of the Month! They wanted to take a new picture and post it in the office with my before picture, and I'd have to do a little bio talking about program to go with it. I hadn't taken a shower so I put off the picture until my second weigh-in this week, but I'm going to do it. They'll give me $25 in Meta-bucks to spend as part of it.

Anyway, just last night I had my daughter take a picture of me so I could post for you. I only have one picture of me in 2012 and I'm partially obscured by someone. I had to go back a year earlier to find another, and it's still not a full length shot but you'll get the idea. I'll post it in the January thread...

ETA: Have you been to MRC's facebook page? They often post before and after pictures, and you can browse through them for more inspiration!